Shiitake mushroom
What is shiitake mushrooms? They are a staple of East Asian cuisine.
Shiitake has long been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional medicine.
What is shiitake mushrooms good for?
Shiitake mushrooms can help support the immune system, activating immune cells. They may help increase the number of immune cells, including T-cells, specialized in fighting specific kinds of viruses.
They may boost the population of NK (natural killer) cells, which are effective at eliminating various virally infected cells and tumor cells.
Shiitake can boost secretion of antibodies that protect the digestive tract and reduce C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.
In cell studies, shiitake extract was able to directly inactivate several types of viruses and block viral replication.
In a study of severe bacterial lung infection, shiitake mushrooms significantly decreased the number of bacteria in the lungs.
Blending beta glucans with shiitake, maitake, and chaga mushrooms may optimize healthy immune function.
